Sally Stieglitz, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, Long Island Library Resources Coordinator and Editor-in-Chief, Association of Jewish Librarian (AJL) News and Reviews, named winner of the 2026 CODES Louis Shores Award
“I am honored to be the 2026 recipient of the ALA RUSA CODES Louis Shores Award. My thanks to the Louis Shores Award Committee, to Ellen Drucker-Albert, Assistant Editor-in-Chief at AJL News and Reviews, and to the entire editorial and review teamwho work tirelessly together to provide librarians with a continuing resource for reviews of high-quality authentic Jewish books for children, teens, and adults.” -Sally Stieglitz
“Sally Stieglitz is the deserving recipient of the 2026 RUSA CODES Louis Shores Award for her commitment to the art of book evaluation, the advancement of collection development, and the bridge between authors and the library community.” – Award Committee statement
Sally Stieglitz’s leadership, in her role as Editor-in-Chief for the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) News and Reviews, has thoughtfully, creatively, authoritatively, and interactively elevated Jewish book reviews to build a platform which is useful and delightful for academic libraries, school libraries, public libraries, and families across the country. This digital publication reaches over 800 international members and touches all ages. Her work ensures that library collections are not merely repositories of books, but dynamic, inclusive, and expertly curated resources.
Sally’s leadership extends to the American Library Association (ALA), Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT), where she serves as Chair of the Jewish Information Committee (JIC). In this capacity, she also serves on the RUSA CODES Sophie Brody Medal Committee, contributing to the selection of the year’smost outstanding contribution to Jewish literature. Her significance and impact is further highlighted by her July 2021 interview on C-SPAN’s Book TV, where she served as a public-facing expert on the intersection of libraries and literature. Sally’s work is deeply rooted in the practicalities of building diverse and relevant collections across multiple library types. Since 2017, she has been a mainstay of the volunteer-led Long Island Reads Committee who initiates a community book read and discussion, promotes literacy through a shared reading experience, and coordinates related library events annually. Through the Long Island Library Resources Council (LILRC), she regularly creates a series of book and author programs. Most notably, under her editorship, the Winter 2025 issue of AJL News and Reviews focused on the Sydney Taylor Book Awards (attached), an annual award to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. This issue provided a rigorous evaluative framework that librarians in both secular and religious institutions use to ensure their youth collections are inclusive, authentic, and of the highest literary quality.
Sally serves as an aspirational figure for librarians seeking to influence the publishing and reviewing industry. A prime example was her role on the “People of the Book…Review” conference panel. Appearing alongside editors from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and The Horn Book, Sally demonstrated how a librarian’s voice is essential to the national reviewing ecosystem. She models how practitioners can successfully transition from consuming reviews to directing the editorial vision of a major professional journal, proving that librarians are equal partners with trade editors in the book world. Sally has transformed reviewing from a passive summary into an active professional development tool. In the Fall 2025 issue of AJL News and Reviews (attached), her interview with Dara Horn offered a deep intellectual dive providing librarians with the necessary context to justify and promote complex titles. Additionally, she facilitates live, intersectional programming as Chair of ALA EMIERT's JIC, creating and running author programs including On Being Jewish Now (Two Years Later): With Zibby Owens (October 2025) and “Queer Jewish Joy for Young Readers” (June 2025). By integrating these live discussions with traditional reviews, she offers an innovative, multi-dimensional approach to selection that helps librarians navigate contemporary nuances in collection development. In short, Sally’s work ensures that library collections are not merely repositories of books, but dynamic, inclusive, and expertly curated resources.
The CODES Louis Shores Award selection committee was Chaired by Erin Wen along with committee members: Stephen Sposato, Karen Toonen, and Julie Roach